I'm a little confused about the ending and how the two villains + Tom tied together, but I'm okay with that. Plenty to like in this show, and I'll read a re-cap somewhere that hopefully will clear things up for me. I prefer to think "it's me, not the show" that's led to my confusion.

Tom got gut-shot, what?, 3 times by Lizzie? You don't survive that do you? Hated to see one of the task force get killed off in such a quick, relatively inconsequential fashion. Meera didn't even have a chance for the typical heroic death - just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But she was the most expendable in terms of her role in the show, so I guess it's not that big a surprise. Wonder how Harold survived being garotted? He must have gotten the upper hand on his assailant, somehow, in order to stop the assault before he was killed. They needed to show it; probably will in next season's first ep.

Has to be. The burns are consistent with Red's relating to Lizzie what happened the night of the fire and how Sam came to be her adopted father. I just wonder how long they're going to be able to let Red keep Lizzie from knowing the truth.

I was underwhelmed by the season finale. Not sure if I will be back for season two.

I was surprised at how underwhelming it was, I don't think I've ever seen a show go downhill so quickly.

1. The whole "is Red Liz's father" was a great storyline for a while but it's reached a point of ridiculousness, how long can they seriously drag that out? And we're supposed to believe that Liz who works for the FBI nor any of the other people who want to know why Red is obsessed with her can't run a DNA test? When Liz already suspects and has asked him?

2. He can't tell her he is her father because it would endanger her, yet everyone on the planet knows he cares about her and will work only with her? Hasn't that already endangered her a thousand times over?

3. We're supposed to believe the diabolical criminal Berlin was running his empire from a prison? Or even if not, that he controls criminal enterprises around the entire world but had to cut his own hand off to escape?

All shows like this require a suspension of disbelief but this is just getting silly. Spader makes the show and is brilliant but the season did not end well.

I'm a little confused about the ending and how the two villains + Tom tied together, but I'm okay with that. Plenty to like in this show, and I'll read a re-cap somewhere that hopefully will clear things up for me. I prefer to think "it's me, not the show" that's led to my confusion.

Tom got gut-shot, what?, 3 times by Lizzie? You don't survive that do you? Hated to see one of the task force get killed off in such a quick, relatively inconsequential fashion. Meera didn't even have a chance for the typical heroic death - just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But she was the most expendable in terms of her role in the show, so I guess it's not that big a surprise. Wonder how Harold survived being garotted? He must have gotten the upper hand on his assailant, somehow, in order to stop the assault before he was killed. They needed to show it; probably will in next season's first ep.

I think the show is a fun ride and I'll be back to watch more.

As to figuring out how everyone's connected.....what's the point? It'll just change within a few episodes. It's more like interesting twist in the plot line.

I was surprised at how underwhelming it was, I don't think I've ever seen a show go down so quickly.

1. The whole "is Red Liz's father" was a great storyline for a while but it's reached a point of ridiculousness, how long can they seriously drag that out? And we're supposed to believe that Liz who works for the FBI nor any of the other people who want to know why Red is obsessed with her can run a DNA test?

And it's not like he hasn't left a lot of his blood laying around after various attacks, especially after the invasion of the task-force headquarters. Lizzie would surely have done the DNA test by now.

And it's not like he hasn't left a lot of his blood laying around after various attacks, especially after the invasion of the task-force headquarters. Lizzie would surely have done the DNA test by now.

Yep. We are supposed to believe that they can catch a mastermind criminal in a day or days but can't figure out basic stuff. That's the problem when you have a 10 episode story line but have to stretch it out over multiple seasons. They have pushed the Red back story too fast. The good cable shows like Justified run their bad guy story line for a whole 13 episode season, and can let the back story progress, this is just the opposite.

Has to be. The burns are consistent with Red's relating to Lizzie what happened the night of the fire and how Sam came to be her adopted father. I just wonder how long they're going to be able to let Red keep Lizzie from knowing the truth.

While *I* believe him to be her father, it isn't that simple.

She "remembers" her "father" saving her from the fire... but doesn't know what happened to him. Red says her father "died in the fire" and that he brought her to Sam to raise.

He could be stretching and using "died" to mean his old family life... thus he is her father but just doesn't want to tell her yet.

OR

He could be telling the truth... Red might be the one who saved her from the fire where her father died, and she was so young she just thinks she remembers her father saving her, but really is remembering Red save her.

Basically... the door is cracked open so that they can write the story either way at this point.

Hated to see one of the task force get killed off in such a quick, relatively inconsequential fashion. Meera didn't even have a chance for the typical heroic death - just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But she was the most expendable in terms of her role in the show, so I guess it's not that big a surprise. .

I'd like to think the FBI was smart enough to run a DNA test on him and Lizzie when he showed up demanding to only work with her. Then again, I watched about 2.5 episodes of The Following, so maybe they're not.

Red killed her father in that fire. Red went back into the fire to save Lizzie and suffered the burns getting her. He took her to the man that raised her and when he told Red he was going to spill the beans Red killed him.

I know Tom told her that her father is alive but I think that is a red herring.

I don't get Tom's angle based on where he was at the end with the guy who wasn't even Berlin. That makes zero sense.

Here is my guess: Red is not the father. Red thought he killed her father in the fire and saved Lizzie. This is why Red won't tell her who her father is. Actually, her father is alive; he is Berlin and is after Red for almost killing him. Berlin may have only found out Red's identity a few years ago.

It's my guess that Liz purposely let Tom live, like Tom let her live in the previous show. She didn't want to let Red know this, which is why she told him rather firmly "that she'll take care of Tom".
Not exactly sure how Tom managed to get away..........sometimes one has to suspend belief on these type of shows

Do we know that Tom wasn't wearing a vest? He could have been bleeding but not from a severe wound. Some bullets can get through some vests... and some injuries can be sustained even if the bullets are stopped... so theoretically he could have been injured and bleeding but not mortally wounded as it might have appeared.

Also, it's a spy show... so it could be a designed "fake death" scenario so that he can disappear.

Trying to binge watch the first season before S2 starts. It's a tough job, but I think I can do it. May have to put in for some OT.

I think you will mostly enjoy The Blacklist. I do have a caveat though: Pay attention to the delightful performances of James Spader as the delightfully sleazy Reddington and try to ignore the, to put it charitably, less delightful performances of the show's costars. All things considered, though, I thought the presence of Spader made the show worthwhile.

I think you will mostly enjoy The Blacklist. I do have a caveat though: Pay attention to the delightful performances of James Spader as the delightfully sleazy Reddington and try to ignore the, to put it charitably, less delightful performances of the show's costars. All things considered, though, I thought the presence of Spader made the show worthwhile.

It's funny you mention this. I've only seen the first two episodes and thought the one FBI guy (don't recall his name) was doing an impression of a wooden spoon. Spader cracked me up though. Looking forward to putting a few more under my belt tonight.

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Take life with a grain of salt... a slice of lime, and a shot of tequila

It's funny you mention this. I've only seen the first two episodes and thought the one FBI guy (don't recall his name) was doing an impression of a wooden spoon. Spader cracked me up though. Looking forward to putting a few more under my belt tonight.

You're speaking of Harry Lennix. He's the worst actor on the show by a good margin (and that includes the lead actress Megan Boone). He was just as wooden and limited on 'Dollhouse' where he again brought up the rear on a talented ensemble. The guy must have a helluva agent.

You're speaking of Harry Lennix. He's the worst actor on the show by a good margin (and that includes the lead actress Megan Boone). He was just as wooden and limited on 'Dollhouse' where he again brought up the rear on a talented ensemble. The guy must have a helluva agent.

I don't know if you are thinking about him or Diego Klattenhoff, who also stars in Homeland. Both of these guys resemble cigar store Indians as compared to either Megan Boone or Spader. It's totally worth it to endure these two to witness the greatness that is James Spader.

Agreed! When Diego Klattenhoff showed up as a wooden Indian FBI agent in The Blacklist I groaned because his performance as an equally wooden Marine Corps officer in Homeland was at least as bad. Harry Lennix is hardly an Oscar prospect but compared to Klattenhoff, he seems like Laurence Olivier.

You're speaking of Harry Lennix. He's the worst actor on the show by a good margin (and that includes the lead actress Megan Boone). He was just as wooden and limited on 'Dollhouse' where he again brought up the rear on a talented ensemble. The guy must have a helluva agent.

I had to IMDb Harry Lennix and Diego Klattenhoff. It was Klattenhoff who I was referring to in my previous post. My goodness, he's bad... and Lennix isn't much better. Lol. They must have Ari Gold as their agent.

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Take life with a grain of salt... a slice of lime, and a shot of tequila

Just started watching this on Netflix. We've only watched the first three episodes but so far so good. I thought it was just me being too critical of the actors other than Spader but I see I'm not. I wasn't familiar with any of them but boy oh boy, without Spader this series would have been long gone for me. It reminds me a bit of Burn Notice in that the good guy is the bad guy (in this case reversed) and that there's a baddie of the week that they have to dispose of. However, there isn't any blatant humor in this one. Lots of episodes though for Season 1. Gonna be a long weekend.